The Differences Between Corns and Warts

Both warts and corns can present as painful, raised bumps on the skin that appear on the toes and feet, but there is a myriad of differences between the skin growths. According to the experts at Triad Foot and Ankle Center, here’s how you can tell them apart:

First of all, what is a corn?

A corn is a raised bump that develops on the foot that’s painful to the touch and is surrounded by flaky skin. Corns are essentially made up of a thick layer of skin that develops from pressure and friction caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes.

What’s a wart?

While corns are caused by wearing shoes that don’t fit correctly, warts are often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are highly contagious. Warts are typically spread through direct and indirect human contact, and they often appear grainy. Although warts can resemble corns if they’re on your feet and are surrounded by flaky skin, warts are categorized by having tiny, black, “seed-like” spots.

Unlike corns, warts can appear anywhere on the body. However, if a wart develops on your foot, it’s important to recognize the difference between the two growths.

How are corns and warts treated?

Warts: There are multiple ways to treat warts, depending on their severity. Your doctor may recommend prescription-strength medications, freezing the wart, or a minor in-office procedure to remove the wart.

Corns: Since corns are caused by shoes, the first plan of action for healing corns is to stop wearing the shoes that cause them. Wear only shoes that fit your feet correctly and are appropriate for your preferred daily activities to prevent more friction. You may also use special shoe inserts to ease the pain inflicted by corns.

You may also soothe and treat corns by soaking your feet in warm water. The water helps soften the corns, so you can gently use a pumice stone to file them down. If your corns don’t respond to at-home treatment methods, you may want to consult a professional at Triad Foot and Ankle Center.

For more information on how the experts at Triad Foot and Ankle Center can help your feet live their best lives, request to make an appointment at one of our Triad-based offices.

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